Concern for Ugo

A GLANCE at Jose Mourinho’s team selection underlined the importance he is giving to the Europa League.

Back came Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick as Mourinho fielded an almost full-strength side.

The United boss knows that despite their win over Chelsea last Sunday, this competition represents their best route back to the Champions League.

Yes, they can romanticise about winning the only major trophy to elude them to complete the set of three European prizes.

But their real goal is qualifying for Europe’s main event.

Succeed and Ibrahimovic will probably stay and their chances of landing Antoine Griezmann are boosted.

Miss out and the consequences could be huge.

Ibrahimovic could go, Griezmann may snub them and they could find it hard to resist a fresh move from Real Madrid for David De Gea.

United were able to sign Ibrahimovic, Mkhitaryan, who opened the scoring, and Paul Pogba because they could argue their absence from the Champions League was a blip.

But failure to qualify this season would make it three misses out of four and seriously undermine their reputation. Mourinho knows all this which is why he is prioritising a competition he derided when he returned to Chelsea in 2013.

From being viewed as an irritant last autumn, the Europa League has become United’s season. FROM BACK PAGE John McDermott among those who headed over to the scene where Ehiogu fell.

A Spurs statement, released after Ehiogu’s wife and son had been informed, said: “We can confirm Ugo Ehiogu is currently in hospital after collapsing at our training centre today.

“Our Under-23s coach received immediate treatment on site from our medical staff before being transferred to hospital by ambulance.

“Everyone at the club sends their best wishes to Ugo and his family.”

Ehiogu has been a permanent member of Spurs’ coaching staff since 2014.

As a player he had long spells at Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, and won four caps for England.